2019.06.28: PWN - LONE - LONE 24
Intro
North: WELCOME EVERYONE TO SUPREMACY: LONE 24 - CELEBRATION! I'm Kevin North alongside my colleague DIC.
DIC: Ugh, did we REALLY have to call the show Celebration? Humiliation is more like it.
North: What DIC is speaking of, is last month, Alison Crowne lost her title to "Pretty" Fay Qent in a hard fought contest. So tonight, we're going to have a Celebration for the title change!
DIC: Hard Fought Contest. More like a robbery! There's no justification for what happened, and your words are giving me constipation.
North: You still haven't cool off from last month?
DIC: No, I spent a lot of my time alone, lamenting the fact that my Queen Alison lost her title.
North: I'm glad that didn't go where I thought it was going.
DIC: Did you think I was going to say masturb--
North: But that's not all we have for you tonight! We have not one but TWO tag team matches that are sure to be astonishing! Generations vs. No Fly Zone vs. Spice and Ice!
DIC: Spice & Ice is going to get some revenge after last month! I still say those 4 should be arrested!
North: Oh come off it! They instigated it and ruined a perfectly good match! Then, we have The Damned vs. The Gucci Gals for the LONE Tag Team Championship!
DIC: There's going to be a REAL Celebration after tonight when my Queens The Gucci Gals put the stakes in the hearts of those vampire freaks and keep their titles!
North: And in our Main Event! Qent is going to put her title on the line! Qent is saying she's going to show she's a fighting champion, and prove it tonight when she takes on the woman who gave Alison a run for her money in their falls count anywhere match, Ami Reeves!
DIC: I hope she chokes on some of that boxed wine she's gonna be shoving down her gullet during her celebration.
North: I've received word we're going to get to the Celebration right now!
DIC: Oh no!
White Trash (Second Generation) by Bad Religion starts up and Terri bursts out from the curtain, excited and running around the stage while raising her arms up to try and get the crowd on their feet and cheering. All the while, Qent steps out looking proud while holding the title over her right shoulder.
DIC: Here comes some defecation!
North: Oh will you stop!
Terri goes down each side of the aisle, slapping hands with fans and trying to hype them up while Qent lags behind. When Terri gets to ringside, she leans against the barricade while some fans pat her on her shoulders, in her true signature style.
Meanwhile Qent starts letting people touch the plate of the title before going up the steel steps and stepping through the ropes. Terri looks under the ring for two steel chairs and slides them under the bottom rope, then goes over to the timekeepers area and gets..... a 24 pack of Molson Ice and two microphones, one she tucks under her arm.
DIC: Look at her with that mic under her arm. I'd say I'd feel sorry for Qent if she gives that one to her but I'm sure Qent is used to the smell.
Terri sets up the chairs and hands Qent the mic that was not under her arm before ripping open the Molsons.
Terri: CELEBRATION! YEEEEEAH!
The crowd roars at this.
Terri sits down, leaning forward with her legs apart, digging into the pack of Molsons and handing Qent one after Qent sits down. The two toast, clinking their beer cans together before drinking.
The two are facing the side of the hard camera, with Qent on the left.
Terri holds the mic in her right hand while the other holds her beer.
Terri: Look at this. Isn't it amazing?
Crowd: YEEEEEEEEEEEAH!
Terri beams!
Terri: The title has come back home! The title has come back home, and like I told you before, Alison! Your days were numbered! So I guess the only thing to ask you now Alison is........ was it worth it?
Terri gives the camera a knowing smile, reflecting back on her words last month before Qent won.
Terri: I'd almost say it was, to me, but not after what you did to Wendy. At least I can sit here, drink beer, and celebrate your suffering, oh, I mean, Qent's title win!
Qent is sitting with the belt in her lap, leaning back a little with her legs apart and holding the mic and beer like Terri.
Qent: Why not both?
Terri goes to clink beers with Qent.
Terri: I'll drink to that!
The two chug the rest of their beers, crushing the cans in their hands before tossing them on the canvas and Terri scoops up some more. She tosses a can towards Qent who catches it. They pop them open and clink again!
Qent: You know something? Here's something a lot of you might not know. I've been out of jail for a while now, and not long after I got out, LONE did its first show here in Fallcoast, and I came to it! And I. was. Amazed! I wanted in and immediately took to training at the 4WA, and I found Terri to help get me started.
Terri: You took to it quick, too.
Qent: If it wasn't for Terri, I'd probably be back in Jail, and that's a SHOOT!
The crowd cheers for this, and Terri smiles proudly while she raises her beer and drinks some more. Qent joins her with another gulp.
Qent: You know what else is a shoot? When I first saw Alison in the ring, showing someone the ropes, I looked to Terri and I said 'she doesn't seem so tough.' But you know what? She's proved me wrong many of times in the ring but after last month.....
Qent sets her beer between her legs and then taps the face of the belt.
Qent: I walked out the winner, and all that hard work paid off. I went from Convict to Contender. Prison to the Pinnacle. Champion!
Qent raises the title with her right hand now and the crowd roars at this!
“As I Am” by Dream Theater abruptly interrupts the celebration as the crowd's cheers immediately turn to boos as they expect the former champion to emerge to crash the celebration. What they expect isn't exactly what they see, at least not the entire picture. Alison Crowne does in fact emerge from the back, definitely not dressed to compete as she wore a pair of black gym shorts along with her infamous “FINE ME” shirt with her image on a $5000 reserve note, but she wasn't the first to step out. Instead a man with coiffed black hair, glasses, and a very expensive Armani suit emerged with a microphone in hand. The man gave Qent a very condescending golf clap as they walked down the ramp as the music faded off.
?: I suppose I should congratulate you, I mean look at you; somehow the criminal justice system hasn't found a way to reclaim you, yet. I mean you said yourself; Convict to Contender. Prison to the Pinnacle. Champion! But first, how rude of me to not introduce myself; my name is Gordon Barrows of the Barrows and Associates Law Firm.
Qent raises her eyebrow as Terri sips on her beer watching these two as they stop just short of entering the ring for the moment.
Barrows: And the reason why I'm out here tonight is to right a wrong and to hold unprincipled and unethical conduct up to the bright flame of justice, may she forever burn and light the way. See, that Ladies of New England Championship that you have on your shoulder is currently illegally in your possession. Now legally speaking I will give you the benefit of the doubt this time and assume innocence on your behalf, and trust me it'll work out better for you that way if I do, I will assume that you also acted under the bad faith of a one Mr. Jack E. Bux while being led to believe that your contest was conducted fairly, cleared by the athletic commission and held on a level playing field but you, Qent are just as much of a victim as my client, Miss Alison Crowne in this particular regard. Now I have long suspected that Mr. Bux has been guilty of unethical, potentially illegal, business practices but until last month I didn't have any solid, irrefutable proof of such wrongdoing and an allegation without the facts will never pass the high bar set by the criminal justice system required to seek restitution.
Alison is wearing a condescending smirk on her face as the two walk up the stairs to the ring, Gordon Barrows sits on the middle rope and lifts the top rope to allow her to step inside before following her inside as well. Barrows walks right over to where the beer was kept and just grabs one right out of the box and cracks one open right in front of Pretty Trashy, almost directly in front of their faces.
Barrows: Thank you, don't mind if I do.
Barrows takes a sip as they both glare daggers at him. With a smug grin he address them both matter-of-factly.
Barrows: I wouldn't try anything if I were you, I can have you both locked away for a long time if either of you lay a threatening finger on me. I wouldn't do anything that the law may see as a threat to my health and well-being.
Barrows takes another sip of the beer as he lets out a satisfying and quite obnoxious “AAAAAH!”
Barrows: So Qent, I'm going to give you the opportunity to do the right thing. Return the championship to its proper holder and I promise that my client will not take any legal action against you.
Qent scrunches up her face at the request and shakes her head.
Barrows: Qent, hand the belt over. Otherwise I'm going to have to assume that you did act with inside knowledge by Mr. Bux and I will have to file charges against you as an accessory and as an accomplice and trust me when I say this; that's only a phone call away and well... I don't have to remind you about the magnitude of violating your parole for engaging in criminal activity. I'm trying to cut you a break here.
Bux: Okay, okay, cut the crap!
Bux hastily emerges from the curtain and walks down the ramp with a microphone in hand.
Bux: Really, Alison, really? Are you that sore of a loser that you decided to lawyer up and try to go on some fishing expedition looking for a technicality or a threat you can hold over my head just to get your way? The old Alison Crowne would've never done this, she used to have honor! But I guess she's gone now, isn't she? To see someone with so much natural ability and talent reduced to such a craven, cowardly...
Barrows was swift to cut Bux off as he wore a wide Cheshire grin.
Barrows: Mr. Bux! How /nice/ of you to join us! You know, I was going to address you after the championship was returned but hey, might as well kill two birds with one stone! Don't act like you don't know what you did.
Bux: What are you talking about?
Barrow: Oh, drop the act Mr. Bux, I mean the buck does stop here, doesn't it? Aren't you famous for that line? You know this is all about last month's main event match.
Bux: What about it? Fay Qent here won the match, fair and square, to become the LONE Champion; in spite of Alison intentionally getting herself counted out and then attempting multiple times to get herself disqualified just to retain the championship; abusing the rules to get out of her duties and responsibilities as a LONE talent.
Barrows snickers and laughs.
Barrows:You know, I gotta give you that, you're dedicated to this gimmick and persona you dawn in front of this audience. You're determined to come across as this benevolent owner, this man who's a paragon of virtue; a man who can do no wrong! You know your craft well, Jack Washington.
The crowd gasps as Gordon Barrows broke the fourth wall. He shifts the microphone under his arm as he brings his hand up to his mouth in mock shock before retrieving it. Alison raised her eyebrows with a wide grin, almost as if she was simultaneously biting her tongue to prevent herself from unleashing an outburst of laughter.
Barrows: But lets pull the curtain back just a little, shall we? Ever since Miss Alison Crowne here, my client as she is professionally known, has won the Ladies of New England Championship she has been put in a position time and time again in situations stacked against her with the intent of taking the belt off her. You placed her in a ladder match against a one Terri Thompson, as she is professionally known, despite knowing that her leg was not at 100%, placing her at a distinct disadvantage in a match where it is required of one to climb with the risk of falling. You placed her in a barbaric fairground brawl on twenty minute's notice by locking her outside of the arena which culminated in her being sent through a grocery store window. Then last month you booked her against Qent...
Bux: What's your point? Alison isn't the first wrestler in the world to have to face challenging opponents in challenging matches.
Barrows: The fact of the matter is, Alison Crowne was /not/ medically cleared to compete last month!
Bux is only seen uttering a “what...?” silently, exasperated and in shock.
Barrows: Alison Crowne was /not/ cleared to compete last month, and that was in spite of her trying to convince the LONE medical staff that she was well enough to compete, being the fighting champion that she was and legally still is. And according to a confidential source within your company, one who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear that you may retaliate against him or her, the people at the top of the LONE chain of command were made aware of this fact. Whether you actually knew about this fact or you acted with haste and neglected your duties as the majority owner of this company look bad on you either way, both in the court of law and the court of public opinion.
Bux blinks in disbelief as he takes in what Gordon Barrows is saying while Pretty Trashy appear to be talking amongst themselves.
Barrows: Do you know my client could have died during the events of LONE 22? Did you know that the gash she suffered from going through the window of that grocery store was only one and a half centimeters away from severing a major artery? Do you realize that if a shard of glass would have punctured her spine that she could have been paralyzed? All while you refused to negotiate in good faith with my client about a new contract? Not only have you inflicted great pain and suffering, both physically and financially but by booking her against the opinions and advice of your own medical staff on LONE 23 you have violated and breached your contract with Miss Alison Crowne!
Bux: Alright, so you're saying that as of this moment Alison Crowne, legally speaking, is free from the terms of her contract with LONE? Okay, so you want me to reinstate the championship to a talent that is no longer under contract? Okay, Alison, I have no choice then but to strip you of the Ladies of New England Championshi--
Barrows: Nah uh! Somebody didn't read the fine print...
Gordon Barrows finishes the beer and tosses the can aside before fishing out a folded piece of paper from his inner coat pocket.
Barrows: I can't believe you would sign a piece of paper without knowing the terms of what you're signing. You see, in this industry, the wrestlers operate under the farce of being “independent contractors”; now one would think that this would mean that they are independently employed that they are free to take their talents wherever they so choose. But the reality is often that when a company such as this one with a broadcast deal locks a talent under a deal they retain what is essentially the ability to control their bookings. The company always comes first, the company can dictate if and when and how often you can work for other promotions within the same industry and sometimes anything regarding media. If my client wanted to work a set amount of dates for say, Boston Pro Wrestling, you would have the power and ability to restrict or deny such booking. So, “promoters” such as yourself, and I use that term loosely here, can skirt around the laws of full employment to your employees while claiming that they are in fact independent. No medical, no dental, no paid time off, no maternity leave. Everyone has to fend for themselves in negotiation and yet... you overlooked one big detail.
Gordon Barrows adjusts his glasses as he unfold the paper.
Barrows: Contract Provision 2478, Subsection C; Breach of Contract by Employer. Should the employer, in this case Ladies of New England LLC. should breach the terms of the contract provided herein, the following provisions shall immediately activate. The “independent contractor”, referred to from this point on in this case, Alison Crowne, shall be entitled to exercise at her sole discretion the following rights; to work her final advertised dates at 150% of the agreed upon financial terms per appearance OR payment of no less than 200% of said value for all dates remaining to immediately break all financial and professional ties with the company.
Furthermore if Alison Crowne is a champion at the moment Ladies of New England LLC. violates and breaches the terms of this agreement she may, at her sole discretion exercise the rights to continue appearing at a rate for all previously advertised events of no less than 175% of the agreed upon pay per appearance rate if she holds the Ladies of New England Tag Team Championship, 200% if she holds a singles title that is not the Ladies of New England Championship, 250% of the agreed upon PPA rate if she is the Ladies of New England Champion, or 275% of the agreed upon PPA if she holds two more more championships simultaneously. Furthermore Alison Crowne may choose, upon her sole discretion for Ladies of New England LLC. to deposit a payment of $25,000, USD, the estimated value of the championship belt, to return the belt and immediately cease all relations between herself and the company. Should she remain a holder of one or more championship belts at the conclusion of all previously advertised commitments are met, she can continue to appear at a rate agreed upon between the two parties, with zero restrictions of where she is allowed to work. Furthermore, Ladies of New England LLC. is prohibited from stripping her of the championship(s) so long as the belts are defended within a reasonable time frame and cannot be stripped due to inaction on the part of Ladies of New England LLC.
Barrows holds up the contract and slides it to Bux through the ropes.
Barrows: Considering you previously allowed 4 months between title defenses with Terri Thompson I believe that is precedent, legally speaking. There is someone backstage that either really likes my client or you simply did not read my client's counter-offer thoroughly before signing upon the dotted line. This is what we call a “poison pill” provision. Furthermore, since Alison Crowne was not medically cleared to defend the championship last month you have no choice but to reverse the result, at which time my client will have the sole discretion of exercising one or more of those rights provided in Contract Provision 2478, Subsection C. Or you can refuse, in which case I'll order this promotion shut down for various Athletic Commission violations as well as applicable state and federal laws. All I need to do is fax in the paperwork, I got you, Jack.
Bux shakes his head as he reads the contract and clear as day it's as Mr. Barrows says.
Bux: Qent... hand Alison the championship...
Qent: You can't be serious...
Bux: Do it!
Bux is gritting his teeth, feeling forced into the course of action. Qent stands up and defiantly holds it above Alison.
Qent: Maybe you made me second guess myself. All that martial arts you got and you can't even use it to come get your title back, you gotta hide behind a pencil neck geeked lawyer. You really ain't so tough!
Barrows: Excuses, excuses. What you do would be considered a parole violation in any other line of work. If you want to be mad at anyone be mad at the man who signs your checks. Hand it over.
Qent drops the belt at Alison's feet shaking her head in disgust. Alison scoops it up and proudly slings it over her shoulder.
Barrows: See, was that so hard? Next time, try earning it. As far as the official results go since the match was never cleared on medical grounds you never became the official champion. Continue climb climbing that little ladder of yours, keep on thinking that you can overcome your own self-inflicted wounds with your poor life choices and maybe someday by an act of God or my client's eventual retirement may you feel the privilege of holding that championship legitimately. Now, Alison. Do you wish to activate any of the provisions entitled to you since Mr. Bux committed breach of contract?
Alison: You know.... I /do/! I mean sure, I could demand the money owed to me to immediately cut ties but... what's the fun in that? Why should I empower Bux by giving him the one thing he wants? Why should I let him off the hook after what he has put me through? Why should I treat this championship like a nice, fat, 25K check when I've worked so hard to win and retain it? See, the competitor in me won't let that happen so I'll be fair where Bux hasn't. You want this belt off my shoulder? Then I dare you to take it!
Bux: Congratulations Alison, you win this round! You got me! Now you're basically holding that championship hostage. I bet you're proud of yourself for that one! Perhaps my biggest mistake was treating you with dignity, that believing that somewhere deep down inside, beneath that mask of arrogance that the Alison Crowne I believed in was still somewhere in there. That if you saw the error of your ways, that if you realized... if something clicked that you took a wrong turn you could somehow revert back to your old self; to be if not a champion then a contender we could all once more be proud of. But you exploited my kindness and you fucked everything up! I promised these people a championship match tonight, Qent vs Ami Reeves and now I have to go back on that promise; and if what your new found attorney is true, which by the way I have no idea how you're getting the money for this, then I highly doubt you're cleared to compete this show either. But you're still advertised for Three Year Anniversary and I'm adding you to that match, making it a championship triple threat!
Alison nods arrogantly with a smirk.
Alison: Alright, alright; yeah! You haven't been able to beat me yet Bucko Boy but now I'm a free woman! If your little gambit fails, I can take this belt /wherever I want/. If I want to start defending this across the New England area and putting my belt up against other regional champions; I can. If I want to fly to Las Vegas and start fighting professionally then hey, I'm sure I can squeeze in a title defense every four months and stick you with the bill to send your challenger after me. If I want to take a few months off and try out for the US Women's Olympic Boxing team... then hey, you can't stop me! If I want to strip down naked wearing nothing but this belt for the world to see... then I can do that too!
That gets a hot reaction out of the crowd, as segment of the crowd begins hollering and cheering her for the first time in a long time.
Alison: That last one was a hypothetical, do you think I'd ever allow any of you to gaze upon this temple of a body like that? You couldn't pay me enough to cater to your fantasies!
The boos very quickly return as Alison motions with the microphone at the flick of her wrist upward to encourage them to vent their frustrations at her.
Alison: My point is that I now hold all the power. I said I would turn this championship into my bargaining chip and I did it! I didn't expect such a timely assist but you just lost the war Bux! You. Lost. The. War!
Alison Crowne drops the hot mic as she and Gordon Barrows exit the ring, Alison holding up the belt and blowing a kiss at Bux and Pretty Trashy screaming "WORTH IT!" as the now reinstated Champion takes a victory lap to the back, leaving the entire arena in frustration.
2
Coming Soon!
3
Coming Soon!
4
Coming Soon!
5
Coming Soon!
6
Coming Soon!
